Local fibres, local dyes, local artisans on BC's Sunshine Coast

What is a Fibreshed?

A Fibreshed is a non-profit organization that generates awareness and shares the necessary skills to build and sustain a thriving bio-regional textile and fibre community that functions hand in hand with principles of ecological balance, local economies, and regional organic agriculture.

Our Fibreshed’s mission is to help change the way we think about how we clothe ourselves by supporting our local fibre culture. We seek to enhance ecological balance by using regional agriculture for our fibres, practising sustainable wild crafting, and growing and gathering our own dye plants, thus strengthening our local economy and supporting local artisans. We presently allow fibre from sources within British Columbia until our local Fibreshed can supply our needs.

The Sunshine Coast Fibreshed is now western Canada’s first affiliate of an international network. The Fibreshed movement began as a project in northern California, started by Rebecca Burgess. Her initial goal was to illuminate the fact that regionally grown fibers, natural dyes, and local talent could provide a most basic human necessity: our clothes. To read more about Rebecca’s wonderful vision and movement, please go to www.fibershed.com (yes we do spell fibre differently—eh?).
As fibre artists and members of the Sunshine Coast Spinners and Weavers Guild, we dedicate this effort of establishing our very own Fibreshed to Yvonne Stowell of FibreWorks Studio and Gallery in Madeira Park. Yvonne has been the greatest gift to the entire fibre arts community on our Sunshine Coast and continues to inspire and mentor us in so very many ways. Yvonne, we love and honour you for allowing us to discover and explore the myriad of fibres, texture, and colour in Pender Harbour, while also hosting exhibitions, workshops, and spin-ins in your wonderful yurts.

3 thoughts on “What is a Fibreshed?”

Thank you Ann, Deanna, Roberta and all the other wonderful contributors to Fibreshed and fibre arts on the Sunshine Coast. What a great place is the Sunshine Coast to inspire so many artisans whose creativity is visible everywhere.

Hello from Lund/Powell River area! I am just learning of your presence and very excited to learn there is a Fibreshed on the Sunshine Coast. Do you meet regularly? Is there a group that is affiliated to you in the Powell River area? Would love to connect and learn more about what is and what might be! Thank you!